Method and means for producing dental fillings



E. L. CHOTT Oct. 20, 1942.

METHODAND MEANS FOR PRODUCING DENTAL FILLINGS Filed Aug. 1l, 1941 2Sheets;Sheet 1 Oct. 20, 1942. E. l.. cHov-r-r 2,299,265

METHOD AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING DENTAL FILLINGS FiledAug. 11. 1941 2sheets-sheet 2 jzze ivry I .11. v manages.- f 121mm! L. m zz;

Patented Oct. 20, 1942 OFFICE METHOD AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING DENTALFILLIN GS Edward L. Chott, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 11, 1941, Serial N o. 406,432

21 Claims.

This invention relates to method and means for receiving or holding andcompressing or forming dental amalgams or the like and for expressing orexpelling mercury or similar fluid content of a dental amalgam orsimilar material and for producing a filling of the necessary or properdegree of consistency, density or rmness, more especially for providingfillings or plugs preferably in the form of cylinders for lling toothcavities quickly, accurately and efficiently.

The invention embodies a method and means whereby after the dentalamalgam usually consisting of mercury and an alloy are properlytriturated and spread over the palm of the hand or otherwise formed intoa coagulated mass it is rolled into a cylinder, roll or rope and dividedinto approximately equal portions or suiicient thereof taken andcompressed to the desired degree of hardness or solidity and to expressor expel as much mercury, liquid matter or moisture therefrom aspossible and formed into a plug or cylinder which is then expelled foruse in filling or plugging into a tooth cavity.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel method and means orappliance for compressing the amalgam with the desired or requireddegree of pressure and hardness to express, expel, extrude or squeezeout as much mercury or wet content of the amalgam as possible or desiredaccording to the solidity desired or required for a particular fillingand to simultaneously eject a previously formed plug or cylinder foruse, thus permitting the same to be produced with quickness and dispatchand in the exact density desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for successivelycompressing and expressing the amalgam into usable shape in the form of'a cylinder or plug as a filling and ejecting the same, therebyeliminating the necessity of using the ngers to compress the amalgam,usually between the thumb and forefinger of one hand and with theassistance of the thumb and forefinger of the other hand pressingthereon to obtain a firm pressure, for expressing the mercury from thedental amalgam at much tiring manual effort and unsatisfactory resultsboth in production and fillings produced from the use thereof.

Another object is to provide for accurate adjustment of the compressingpressure or to eliminate any give or spring action to the compressingmeans or plunger and to render the same absolutely rigid or positive inits action.

Still another object is to provide an amalgam 55 proof.

compressor and expressor with ejecting means, in the form of a simpletool of the type of pliers or otherwise, which can be economicallyproduced and sold, and which is simple to use and fool- However, it ishere stated that the basic idea does not require a tool in the form ofpliers to be gripped and operated by hand, but merely two jaws, howevermoved together and separated and provided with means for holding orreceiving j the amalgam and compressing the same to express the mercurytherefrom and eject the plug so formed for use in a filling.

Further objects and advantages will .appear and be brought out morefully in the following specication, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of amalgam compressor andexpressor;

Fig. 2 is aplan section taken on the line 2 2 2l)I of Fig. 1;

` tical section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, but

with the pressure cap screwed down and the spring compressed to itslimit;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modied form of tool;

Fig. 6 is an enlargedcross or transverse vertical section taken on theline 6 6 of Fig, 5;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing the pressure capscrewed down and the spring compressed to its limit as in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8Vis a side elevation of another form of tool;

Fig. 9 is a top plan View of the device shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on the lineIll-l0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section taken on the line Il ll of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a cross or transverse vertical section taken on the line |2|2 of Fig, 10.

By way of explanation it is here statedvthat the appliance basicallyembodies a pair of jaws one of which has means for receiving therelatively soft amalgam after being triturated and the other of which isadapted to be moved relatively to the V first jaw by hand or power forthe purpose of compressing theamalgam held in a chamber of the first jawfor compressing the same and expressing the mercury content therefrom,while a previously formed compressed mass or plug is being ejected atanother point, either or both of the jaws being relatively movable indivergent or parallel relation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings illustrating one embodimentof the invention in which the same is shown as a hand tool or implement,and particularly to the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of thedrawings, the tool is generally designated at l5 and shown in the formof a pair of pliers having an upper handle |6 and a lower handle |1 withintertting bearing portions I8 and l 9 respectively pivotally connectedas at to move and swing relatively. As shown, the handles cross and theupper handle is provided with a lower rectilinear jaw 2| while the lowerhandle is provided with an upper rectilinear jaw 22. One of the jaws isprovided with.

a chamber shaped as desired in which the` amalgam is compressed bycoacting 'means carried by the other jaw and as shown for this purpose,a disk 23 is mounted on the lower jaw 2| preferably to turn through themedium of a central opening` 24 the upper portion of whichis enlargedrelative to the reduced lower portion 25 forming an upwardlyV facingshoulder 2S. A pivot screw 21 is extended through the opening andthreaded into a threadedopening in the lower jaw 2| and has anintermediate unthreaded .portion 28 which fits the portion 25 of theopening and an enlarged screw head 29 received in the upper portion 24of the opening, thus mounting the disk to freely turn thereon againstthe top face of the lower jaw while holding the same from displacement.The` disk is provided with a plurality, preferably a pair ofdiametrically opposite openings 3|) forming chambers cooperating withthe top face of the lower jaw to produce a socket or mould. TheseYopenings may be of any desired shape but are preferably cylindrical asshown so that the resultant compressed Y body or plug will becorrespondingly shaped. The lower jaw is also providedwith acorresponding opening 3| inwardly relativeY to the pivot mounting of thedisk, which latter is prefmass or body in the form of a, cylindricalplug for use as a filling or otherwise. In order that the jaws may belimited in their relative movements toward each other to preventbreakage of parts and control the degree of compression, a stop or limitpin 38 has a threaded shank 39 threaded in a corresponding threaded borein the lower jaw 2| inwardly of the opening 3| for engagement with thebottom face of the upper jaw 22 as it is thought will be obvious from aninspection of Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. In Figs. 1 and 3 the jawsare shown moved toward each other in solid lines and the stop or limitpin may be slightly spaced from or positively engage the bottom face ofthe upper jaw but preferably the latter when the handles are moved tofull compressing position with the jaws correspondingly related. Theupper jaw 22 is also erably knurled at its edge as indicated at 32.50 ,f

otherwise for the engagement of an inturnedy free end of a spring pawl34 having its inner end bent at a relatively sharp obtuse angleasindicated at 35 to form ananchoring portion which ts against ashoulder 36-formed by yrecessing the lower jaw with the shoulderextending vertically and having apertures to receive anchoring screws31. Inthis way; if the disk'is turned, the pawl will ride over theknurled edgel and when engaged in the notches willV prevent retrograderotation of 'the disk so that it may be turned in only one direction toadvance one hole from a compressing position closed at its lower end bythe upper face of the jaw 2| toward the free end of the latter to adischarging position over the opening 3| in the inner portion of the jawand so that this may be successively repeated in the operation of theappliance so that the material may be simultaneously compressed with thedischarge of a previously formed compressed adapted to seat against saidshoulder.

provided with a threaded hole or bore 4|] near its free end in axialalinement with the chamber or opening 35 in the disk 23 and a cylinder4| has a reduced threaded portion 42 threaded therein and verticallyadjustable if desired bui adapted by reason of theshoulder formed at thetop of the threaded portion 42 to engage the top face of the jaw 22 asseen more particularly in Fig. 3. The cylinder also has an unthreadedportion 43 which may be slightly enlarged relative to the portion 42 andif desired provided with graduations or calibrations 44 in the form ofany suitable markings with indicated pressure exerted by compressing thehandles or moving the jaws together by hand or power in divergent orparallel relation for securing the necessary pressure upon the amalgamor other body to be compressed in the chamber. The upper enlargedAportion of the cylinder above the calibrations is threaded as indicatedat 45 and the upper enlarged bore portion 46 of the cylinder opens intoa lower reduced bore 41 forming an intervening shoulder between facingupwardly. A plunger 48 operates in the reduced bore 41 and has anenlarged head 49 preferably a screw head operating in the enlarged upperbore portion 46 and The lower end of the plunger 48 is provided with acompressor head 50 threaded or otherwise secured on the lower end of theplunger 48 and of frustoconical or other shape but corresponding totheshape of the openings or chambers 30.V A knurled cap 5| internallythreaded, is mounted on the externally threaded upper portionA of thecylinder 4| for vertical adjustment thereon axially of the cylinder andplunger and receives a coiled-expansion spring 52 between the closedupper end thereof and the head 49 of the plunger. The tension of thisspring may be predetermined or made so that the exact pressure upon theamalgam may be regulated by turning the bottom edge 53 of the cap to anexact point on the calibrations 44 which indicates the pressure atthelimited or complete pressure movement of the handles and jaws relativelyuntil the spring 52 is compressed, with the cylinder 4| and reduced nportion 42 moving over the head 49y and plunger By turning-or 48respectively, with the jaw 22. adjusting the cap 5|, the spring pressuremay be accurately regulated but when the coils of the spring areexpanded in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 there will be a slightadditional movement to the upper jaw after contact and pressure of thecompression head 55 against the amalgam due to the compression ofthe'spring ,15;52 and the coils moving toward each other or togetheruntil they assume the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings or asindicated in dotted lines with reference to the position of the cap I asshown in Fig. 3. When the coils are in contact as seen in Fig. 4,further movement Will be prevented and the connection will be rigid orby adjusting the cap 5| to a position to entirely compress the coils ofthe spring 52, there will be no resilient action but the plunger headwill be absolutely rigid with the cap and upper jaw so that the pressurewill be entirely controlled by the action of the upper jaw and in thepresent instance by the gripping of the handles and pressure thereon.

It will be noted that the disk or movabie chamber member 23 is arrangedso that one of the openings or chambers 30 is disposed beneath thecompression member and the other opening is arranged beneath an ejectormeans so that a previously formed compressed plug may be forced outthrough the opening 3l as another plug is being compressed against thetop face of the lower jaw 2l. For this purpose a screw head 54 having areduced threaded portion 55 is adjustably engaged in a threaded opening56 at the inner portion of the upper jaw 22 and may have a resilientshank 51 of reduced size forming part of the screw or otherwise so as toflex or bend particularly where the jaws are pivoted and moved indiverging angles relative to each other radially so that an enlargedhead which may be in the form of a ball 58 will be guided into theopening 30 therebeneath and if necessary deflected against the wall ofthe opening and guided therethrough without injury to any of the parts.

In the use of the device, the amalgam usually consisting of mercury andalloy is properly triturated and preferably formed into a cylinder, rollor rope which may be as soft as desired and this is preferably dividedinto equal portions from a body about one inch long although any desiredquantity may be pressed into one of the openings 30 with the jawsseparated as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This amalgam is pressedinto the opening 30 beneath the plunger so as to project in convexformation or be humped above the upper face of the disk 23 whereupon thejaws are brought together to cause the pressure head 50 to compress theamalgam and form a plug or body 59 shown substantially of cylindricalshape. When this body is compressed the jaws are separated and the diskturned so as to bring the opening 30 with the body therein beneath theejector. In the drawings, the disk 23 as shown in Fig. 2 is turnedone-half revolution or 180 i! in the direction indicated by the arrow orclockwise when the spring l34 will ride out of the engaged notch 33 andover the knurled edge until the pawl has engaged in the next notch. Thiswill present the opening 3B which is empty and previously positionedbeneath the ejector toward the free end of the jaws in position toreceive the compressor head 50. This opening is lled with the amalgamwhich is pressed into the same by hand or otherwise with a firm pressureand then the appliance is operated to bring the jaws toward each otherso as to force the compressor head against the amalgam at the desiredpressure to produce another plug or cylinder body 5e. At the same time,the enlarged head or ball 53 of the ejector is forced into the openingtherebeneath to eject the body 59 previously Ycompressed and formedtherein and adhering to the walls of the opening, as indicated in Fig.3. These plugs or cylindrical bodies are in condition for use as llingsinasmuch as the pressure of the pressure head has expressed allsuperfluous mercury or liquid matter from the amalgam which due to thepressure is expelled or squeezed therefrom and will escape between thepressure head 5i) and the wall of the opening 30 to be removed or shakenoff so that the amalgam to be used in the filling will comply with allrequirements necessary to produce a body which will have slightexpansion and result in a comparatively dry lasting lling for a cavity.

In the form of the invention shown in the drawings, Figs. 5 to 7inclusive, the structure is the same as the previously described formexcept that in lieu of the unthreaded portion 43 the cylinder il isthreaded all the way down to the upper jaw 22 as indicated at 41a abovethe reduced threaded portion 42 and while this portion may be calibratedto indicate the pressure by adjustment of the tension of the spring 52,any suitable means may be provided for this purpose so that the user mayreadily determine the pressure and not leave the matter to guess orconjecture. The threaded portion 4Ia is the same size as the upperthreaded portion 45a and formed as a continuation thereof but in thisform, a lock nut or ring may be threaded on said portions to set the capat an adjusted position with the spring 52 partly compressed as shown inFigs. 5 and 6 and engaged against the bottom edge of the cap to lock thesame in adjusted position or they may be turned down against the topface of the upper jaw 22 as shown in solid lines in Fig. 7 from thedotted line position shown therein, in which position the coils of thespring 52 are disposed in contact the same as shown in Fig. 4 inconnection with the previously describedform so that there will be arigid connection between the top of the cap 5l and the head 49 of theplunger 48 so as to give the effect of a rigid unyielding compressionwhen the compressor head 50 is forced against the amalgam in thecompression vchamber or opening.

In the` form of the invention shown in Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive, thestructure is the same as previously described with respect to thehandles and jaws except that in this instance the upper jaw is providedwith a thickened portion or boss 22a preferably at the top which isextended laterally at one side as shown in Fig. 9 to form a wing orextension beyond the side face or edge of the jaw. The disk 23 insteadof being provided with two diametrically opposite openings 30 isprovided with four equidistantly spaced openings 30a, located apart andnotches 33a of corresponding number equidistantly spaced between theopenings the same as are the notches 33 with respect to the openings 35in thepreviously described forms. However, whereas the notches 33 areacute angled with one side extending radially and the othersubstantially at the acute angles thereto or as a chord of the disk, thenotches 33a are substantially right angular or comparatively wide withthe sides extending in the same direction as the chord of an arc orsecant to receive the coacting ends of a bow spring pawl 34a. Thisspring has a pair of arcuate or curved arms 6I with coiled or rolledends 62 turned outwardly to engage in the notches 33a and anintermediate or center anchoring tongue 63 bent from a blank or strapfrom which the spring is formed and said tongue or ear is apertured toreceive a fastening such as a screw 64 which may take the form of thestop or limit pin 38 previously described and whichtis. threaded intolaV threadedborepr V.socket infthelower Vjaw 2| as seenmore'particularlyfin Figs. 3 and 10. A threaded plunger 65is threaded'through a hole 66 through the thickness Voi Vthe upper jaw 22 near theouter end thereof andmay be adjusted to elect pressure against thematerial or amalgam to be compressed throughy the threaded hole 66 toregulate its projection from the bottom face of the jaw 22. A lock nut61 is threaded on the plunger 65 against the top face of the upper jawat the bossY 22a. to set the plunger at any desired position. Theplunger has'a. reduced shank 68 corresponding to the plunger 48 anda'compression head 69 corresponding tothe head 50 so as to t and act inthe openings 30a upon the amalgam 59 to produce the necessary plug orlling body as previously described. The ejector in lieu of theconstruction heretofore described consists of a screw 'l0 engaged in athreaded bore T in the jaw 22 at the boss or thickened portion 22a andadjustable therein as desired. A lock nut '|2 is engaged on the threadedportion or screw 70 to lock the ejector in adjusted'position and theshank 13 thereof which may be resilient and of reduced formation has anenlarged head 'M which may be of any desired shape such as globularcorresponding to the ball 58, tapered or otherwise as seen moreparticularly in Fig. 12 so as to eject the cylindrical body or plug 59'from the opening 30a positionedat the extension of the disk beyond theside face of the lower jaw y2| beneath the wing formed on the boss 22a90 yfrom the opening in which the amalgam is compressed against the topface of the lower javi/12|, In this form it is unnecessary to provide anopening Ain the lower jaw through whichthe plug is dischargedfrom theopening 30a overhanging the lower jaw as seen in Fig. 12 whereasl invtheY previously described forms the opening 3| beneath an opening 30 isnecessary in order to permit aY cylindrical body or plug 59 to beejected as seen in Fig. 3. However, the action is .the same otherwiseand in the operation, the material is first pressed into one of theopenings 30a beneath the'compression head or plunger and compressed-byVmoving the jaws toward each other.

When this body is compressed, the disk 23 is turned one-quarter of arevolution in a clockwiser direction as indicated bythe arrows in Figs.9

and 11 so that the opening 30a without acompressed plug therein isbrought beneath the compressor and lled with the amalgam which ispressed thereinto'so as 'to hump above the top face of the disk inconvex formation or with a little surplus amalgam, the tool is againoperated to compress said amalgam and simultaneously eject thepreviously formed plug or cylinder 59' from its opening 38a. Thus, notonly can the amalgam be compressed into a body of any desired density orhardness and the mercury expressed orfsqueezed therefrom according tothe physical characteristics desired in the filling or to render thesame as dry as desired, but this pressure can be accurately regulated ineach instance, since the screw 65 may also be calibrated in connectionwith the bottom edge of the jaw 22 to readily set the device for anydesired pressureor to render the compression positive by reason of theVplunger and pressure head being absolutely rigid with the upper jaw 22and with no resilient action or give such as is produced by theresilient mounting consisting of the cap and :spring 52 when the coilsof the latter are spaced apart so that afterthe plunger head is broughtinto engagement with the amalgam in agaeaaes:

the compressionchamber or opening there Will'be a slight movement upwardofthe plunger against the spring and with the latter during thecompression thereof. 'As soon as the coils are brought together thismovement is stopped or by initial adjustment to set the coils together,this action'` may be made rigid in the beginning as previously stated.It is not necessary to make the device in the form of a hand tool orpliers as the jaws may move in parallel relation as well as in divergentrelation radial to a common pivot or center and in the method described,the compression` of the amalgam to produce a relatively hard solid bodyfor a lling, the expressing of the mercury and the ejection of apreviously formed body isv accomplished in one operation andsimultaneously so as to permit the entire operation with quickness anddispatch as well as with greater'ac-icuracy than has heretofore beenpracticed and without the manual effort required where the amalgam ispressed between a thumb and forenger of one hand and with the assistanceof the thumb and forenger of the other hand which is both tiringandunsatisfactory in addition to producing a product which is not nearlyas desir able as an accurately regulated pressure-produced producti'endered possible with the present device; Y

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modiiication without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchVariations and modifications ascome Within the scope of the appendedclaims. Of course, the forml shown in Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive maybe'providedv with a stop means to limit the closing movements of thejaws, such as the stop or limit vpin 38, as shown.

Having thus described my-invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of forming a dental filling consisting in compressing arelatively-soft amalgam to express or expel mercury or other Wet contentthereof and compress the same into the form of a solid body ofpredetermined form while simultaneously ejecting a previously formedsolid body.

2. The method of forming a dental lling consisting in compressing arelatively soft dental amalgam of alloy and mercury at a set'pressureVto express-*or squeeze out mercury content thereofv and compress thesame into the form of av solid said body while simultaneouslycompressing another quantity of amalgam to form a similarA body.

3. The method of compressing and expressing a dentall amalgam or thelike to produce a lling consisting of compressing the amalgam in achamber of predetermined shape to form a relatively solid body andsqueeze out or remove mercury content therefrom for disposal andsimultaneously ejecting a previously formed body for use.

4. The method of forming a dental filling consisting in compressing arelatively soft dental amalgam to express mercury therefrom andcompressing the same into a solid body under exact predeterminedpressure to form a body in the shape of a plug or cylinder andsubsequently ejecting said body while simultaneously come,

pressing another quantity of amalgam to express:

mercury therefrom and compress the same into a solid body during saidejection.

5. The method of forming a dental filling consisting in compressing amass of relatively soit dental amalgam in a confined space to expressmercury therefrom and compress the same into a solid body under apredetermined pressure according to the nature and composition of theamalgam in the shape of a plug or cylinder and simultaneously ejecting apreviously compressed mass so that while one body is being compressedand the mercury expressed therefrom a previously formed body is beingejected.

6. Means for producing a dental filling or the like including meansmovable relatively, one means having a plurality of compressionchambers, a plunger adapted to operate in each of said chambers tocompress a mass of dental amalgam therein in one position, said chambersbeing movable to another position and means acting in said chambers inthe last named position to eject the previously compressed bodyrelatively with the operation of said plunger.

7. An appliance for forming a dental filling in the shape of a solidbody including coacting jaws movable to compressing and releasingpositions, one jaw having a plurality of cavities and means on the otherjaw to operatively enter a plurality of said cavities to compress a bodyin one cavity and eject a body from another cavity in which it has beenpreviously compressed, substantially at the same time,

8. An appliance for forming a dental filling in the shape of a solidbody including coacting jaws movable into compressing and releasingpositions, one jaw having a plurality of cavities and means on the otherjaw to enter one of said cavities and compress the body therein, meansto set the last named means to compress the body under exactpredetermined pressure, said cavities adapted to be moved to anotherposition and means simultaneously actuatable with the compressor toeject a previously formed body from a cavity.

9. A device for producing a dental lling or the like consisting ofrotatable means for receiving and holding a body to be compressed, meanscoacting therewith for compressing said body into a predetermined shapeand simultaneously expressing wet content thereof such as mercury in adental amalgam, said receiving and holding means adapted to be moved toejecting position and means coacting therewith for discharging said bodyfrom said receiving and holding means after a body has been compressedtherein and While simultaneously compressing another body.

10. An appliance for producing dental llings consisting of a pair ofcoacting .jaws movable toward and away from each other, one jaw havingmovable means with a plurality of compression chambers adapted toreceive the amalgam to be compressed in one position, means on the otherjaw to compress the amalgam in the first position and moved to anotherposition and to simultaneously move another chamber to the rst positionand means on the second jaw to discharge the compressed body from saidchamber in the second position while the rst means on the second jaw iscompressing amalgam in another chamber, said body when compressedserving to express the mercury from the amalgam.

11. An appliance for producing dental fillings consisting of a pair ofcoacting jaws movable toward and away from each other, one jaw havingmovable means with a plurality of compression chambers adapted toreceive the amalgam to be compressed in one position and moved toanother position, means to compress the amalgam in one chamber in oneposition thereof, means to discharge the compressed body therefrom insaid latter position, said body when compressed serving to express themercury from the amalgam, means carried by one of the jaws to eject apreviously formed body simultaneous with the compression of another bodyand means for placing said compression means under resilient cushionaction, said means adapted to be set to render the same rigid.

12. An appliance for producing dental llings consisting of a pair ofcoacting jaws movable toward and away from each other, one jaw havingmovable means with a plurality of compression chambers adapted toreceive the amalgam to be compressed in one position and moved toanother position to permit discharge of the compressed body therefrom,means on one jaw to compress the amalgam in one chamber, said body whencompressed serving to express the mercury from the amalgam, meanscarried by one of the jaws to eject a previously formed body, springmeans for placing said compression means under resilient cushion action,said means adapted to be set to render the same rigid, means to adjustthe tension of the spring means to a predetermined point and to set thesame, and means to limit the movement of the jaws relatively.

13. An appliance for forming an amalgam into a solid body for use as aiilling and of predetermined shape comprising coacting jaws, one jawhaving a disk provided with a plurality of chambers movable to aplurality ofl positions and adapted to be held in such positions, meanscarried by the other jaw for compressing said amalgam in at least onechamber in one position of the disk under predetermined pressure tocompress the same and express excess mercury therefrom, said chamberwith a compressed body therein adapted to be moved to a position torelease the body when disposed in another position and means alsocarried by said second jawv to eject said body when the jaws are broughttogether to compress another body and produce from the amalgam a body ofthe desired solidity and composition in the form of a homogeneous mass.

14. A device for forming a dental filling consisting of a pair ofcoacting jaws movable into compressing and releasing positions, one jawhaving a cavity to receive amalgam and movable to diierent positions andmeans on the other .jaw for exerting pressure on the amalgam in oneposition to form a solid mass, express mercury from said mass and meanson the same jaw to enter said cavity in another position thereof tosimultaneously eject the filling simultaneously with the compression ofanother .body of material by the rst means.

15. In appliances for forming amalgam into a solid body for use as afilling comprising two members movable relatively, a disk rotatablymounted on one member and having a plurality of cavities, said diskbeing movable to several stations and a ram and an ejector on the othermember cooperating with said cavities at each station to compress a bodyin one cavity and simultaneously eject a previously compressed body fromanother cavity.

16. A device for forming dental fillings consisting of relativelymovable members, a plurality of chambers on one member each adapted tobe closed in' one position by said member and open in another'position,a ram adjustably vmounted on the othermember to cooperate with a chamberin its 'closed position and compress a body thereinand an ejectorcarried by thesame memberA for cooperatively ejecting a previouslyformed body from a chamberv in `open position.

'17. A device for'orming dental llings consisting of relatively movablemembers, a plurality Iof chambers on one member each adapted to be"closed in one position and open in another posi- 'tion,'a ram having aplunger adjustably mounted in the other member to cooperatewith aChamber in its "closed positionn for compressing a' body "therein andanejectorcarried by the same mem- Yber for simultaneously ejecting apreviously `vformed' body from 'a chamber in open position, 'a cylindervin which 'said plunger is movable, a cap adjustable on the cylinderand aspring in the "cap for engaging thel ram.

18. VA deviceI for" forming dental fillings consisting of relativelymovable members, a plurality "of'chambers on `one member each adapted tobe closed in oneV positionand open in another posi-Y tion, a ram movablymounted in the 'other' mem-v berV under adjustable spring pressure tocooper- Yatewith a chamber in its'olosed 'position and compress a bodythereinand an adjustable ejector carried by the same memberv forcooperativelyI acting jaws; one'jaw having amember providedU with a'plurality of "cavities and'movable to a plurality of Vpositionsmean's tohold said member in each of said positions, said cavities being closedat the bottom in Aone position and open in another position, meanscarried bythe other'jaw for compressing said amalgam in lat least onecavity vat a time in one position of the member to compress the amalgamtherein and express the liquid content and mercury therefrom, and meanscarried by said secondjaw to eject said body'so compressed in anotherposition of the member.

20. Means foi-producing va dental lling including jaws movablerelatively,` one jaw having a disc provided with a plurality ofcompression chambers and rotatable to several stations, and a pluralityof plungers adapted to operate in individual chambers in differentstations, one` of said plungers adapted to compress a mass yof dentalamalgam in the chambers at one station and another of said plungersadapted to eject the previously compressed body at another station Yandboth being simultaneously movable.

21. A device for forming dental fillings con- `sisting of relativelymovable jaws, a plurality 'of chambers in one jaW adapted to be closedin one position by said jaw and open in another position, a ramadjustably mounted onA the other jaw to cooperate with a chamber in itsclosed position and compress a body ltherein and an ejector carried bythe same member for simultaneously eje'ctng a previously formed bodyfrom said chamber in an open position, said ram comprising a sectionalcontainer with one part fixed lto the jaw and the other part adjustablethereon and a spring in the container and engaged `with the ram wherebythe tension of the spring on the ram may be adjusted.

EDWARD L. CHOTT.

